Terror charges brought against forest officials over Assam massacre

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit), a militant outfit active in Assam, is making attempts to penetrate the mainstream Bodo community.

In a charge-sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the massacre of Muslims by the outfit last year in Assam, the agency has slammed terror charges against four Bodos working with the forest department in Assam for allegedly being part of the killings of 36 Muslims, including infants and the old.

Forest officials Rojen Boro, Jayanta Boro, Nijwim Basumatary and Mallajit Kherkatary have been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), along with six others.

The National Investigation Agency has slapped terror charges on four forest officials for allegedly killing 36 Muslims last year (Picture for representation only)

It is alleged that the forest officials of the Bansbari Forest Range under the Manas Tiger Project fired on the victims along with NDFB(S) cadre using the weapons given to them to guard the forest.

“Eye witness accounts say that they fired from point blank range,” said an officer part of the investigation.